Ciao a tutti! I am Mina from the Go! Go! Italia team, and today I would like to share my experience with Italian language certificates as a foreign student, particularly the CELI exam structure.

I’ve always been a language enthusiast, growing up in a context where my family in South Korea spoke a strong dialect, while at school, we used the standard language. This created an interesting dynamic: some sounded like a native when speaking the dialect, while others found my speech awkward. This made me question, what truly defines fluency?
A similar question arose when I was learning Italian. During my first year in Milan, I didn’t have any formal language training but was immersed in the lives of Italians, living with my Italian host family. I picked up many expressions and could engage in natural conversations.
However, I realized that when it came to complex grammar, I was clueless! Learning a new language involves using various parts of our brain and senses, and there are many aspects to consider: grammar rules, writing, speaking, listening, and cultural nuances.
While my speaking, listening, and cultural understanding were somewhat developed, my grammar and writing skills were absolutely imbalanced. This meant that if I met people in a context where communication is largely spoken, they would have said that my Italian was good, but in a written context, I was not able to use the language properly at all. So again, what truly defines fluency?
To improve this imbalance, I decided to enroll in an Italian language school. The faculty helped me understand which skills I excelled in and which I was missing. They placed me in a program that was suitable for me and helped me improve my lacking skills.

After studying for six months and improving my weaknesses, I started to feel really confident! Then I wanted to figure out how to prove to the world my fluency. I was eager to show that I had a more well-rounded knowledge of Italian.
The journey of language learning is different for everybody and at every stage of our lives. But how do we prove our newly gained language skills to others? Not only to our dear family and friends who support us but also to our dream schools or potential employers? For modern-day language learners, especially for European languages including Italian and English, there are well-structured exams to assess language skills according to CEFR levels, which are universal to European languages.
For Italian, the most famous and widely recognized exams are: CELI, by Università per Stranieri di Perugia; CILS, by Università per Stranieri di Siena; and PLIDA, by the Dante Alighieri Association.
In this article, I would like to focus on CELI and tell you more CELI exam structure.
About the CELI Exam
The CELI (Certificato di Conoscenza della Lingua Italiana) is an Italian language certification offered by the Università per Stranieri di Perugia. This university has a long history, dating back to its establishment in 1921, and it is renowned for teaching Italian language and culture to foreign students. The CELI exam is widely recognized for its reliability and thorough assessment of language proficiency.
CELI Exam structure
The CELI exam is divided into different levels, from CELI 1 (beginner) to CELI 5 (advanced), corresponding to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels A1 to C2. Each level tests various language skills:
Reading comprehension:
- You will read various texts, such as articles, advertisements, or book excerpts, and answer questions to test your understanding.
Listening comprehension:
- You will listen to recordings of conversations, announcements, or reports and respond to questions about them.
Writing:
- You will be required to write texts of varying lengths and formats, from short messages to essays, depending on the level.
Speaking:
- This section involves a face-to-face interview where you discuss topics, describe pictures, or engage in role-plays.
Grammar and vocabulary:
- There are exercises to test your knowledge of Italian grammar rules and vocabulary.
Example: CELI 2 (B1 LEVEL)
Depending on the level you would like to take, the CELI exam structure changes. Today, I will explain what the CELI exam structure of B1 Level, CELI 2, looks like, because B1 level is a big milestone for every Italian learner!
Written Exam
Part A: Reading Comprehension
- Time available: 2 hours (for both reading and writing)
- Short texts with multiple-choice questions
- A text with 10 binary choice pairings
- Sentences to complete with multiple-choice items
- A text with 10 multiple-choice completions
- Sentences to complete
Part B: Text Production
- A form/questionnaire to answer on general interest topics
- A short announcement to write or respond to on a given everyday life topic (about 50 words)
- A short letter or email to write, following a given prompt (90 to 100 words)
Part C: Listening Comprehension
- Time available: 20 minutes
- Short messages or news with multiple-choice questions
- Two texts with binary choice pairings
Oral Exam
Time available: about 10/12 minutes
Oral Production:
- An interview/conversation between the candidate and the interlocutor, in the presence of an examiner. The candidate must introduce themselves and provide information on topics of personal interest.
- Describing a photo
- A role play (communicative task) within a well-defined communicative situation, contextualized by an image that does not need to be described.
Conclusion
Learning a new language for people like me and, I imagine those of you reading this blog, is always fulfilling. It widens your perspective and basically gives you a new tool to see the world through! One step forward, achieving a language certificate adds practical value to our new skills and provides more opportunities academically and professionally.
Go! Go! Italia is here to help students who would like to study Italian in Italy and prepare for language proficiency exams. Our partner schools not only offer well-structured exam prep courses but are also exam locations themselves.
To find out more, contact us today!